Rockingham Speedway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rockingham Speedway and Entertainment Complex

The Rock
D-shaped Oval (1965–present)
Location	2152 North U.S. Highway 1, Rockingham, North Carolina, 28379
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (UTC−04:00 DST)
Coordinates	34°58′27.05″N 79°36′37.51″W / 34.9741806°N 79.6104194°W / 34.9741806; -79.6104194
Capacity	32,000
Owner	Rockingham Properties LLC. (August 2018–present)
Opened	October 27, 1965; 59 years ago (1965-10-27)
Construction cost	US$1 million
Former names	North Carolina Motor Speedway (1965–1996) North Carolina Speedway (1998–2007)
Major events	Current: NASCAR Xfinity Series North Carolina Education Lottery 250 (1982–2004, 2025) NASCAR Truck Series Black's Tire 200 (2012–2013, 2025) Former: NASCAR Cup Series Subway 400 (1966–2004) Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 (1965–2003)
D-shaped Oval (2022–present)
Surface	Asphalt
Turns	4
Banking	Turns 1 and 2: 22° Turns 3 and 4: 25° Straights: 8°
Race lap record	0:22.847 ( Brent Crews, Toyota Camry TRD, 2025, ARCA Menards)
Road Course (1977–present)
Surface	Asphalt
Length	2.414 km (1.500 mi)
Turns	8
Banking	Oval turns 1 and 2: 22° Oval turns 3 and 4: 25° Straights: 8°
Little Rock (2008–present)
Length	0.847 km (0.526 mi)
D-shaped Oval (1965–2021)
Surface	Asphalt
Turns	4
Banking	Turns 1 and 2: 22° Turns 3 and 4: 25° Straights: 8°

Rockingham Speedway and Entertainment Complex, also known as "The Rock," is a famous racetrack in Rockingham, North Carolina. It's a D-shaped oval track that is about one mile long. Since it opened in 1965, it has hosted many exciting races, including events for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The track has a long and interesting history. It was a major stop for NASCAR for almost 40 years. After closing in 2004, it sat empty for a while. But in 2018, new owners bought the speedway and began fixing it up. Thanks to their hard work, NASCAR racing returned to The Rock in 2025.

About the Track

Track Design

Rockingham Speedway is a D-shaped oval that is just under a mile long. The turns are "banked," which means they are tilted at a steep angle. Turns 1 and 2 have a 22-degree banking, and turns 3 and 4 are even steeper at 25 degrees. This banking helps cars go faster through the corners. The straight parts of the track have a gentle 8-degree banking.

In 1977, a road course was added inside the oval. This course is 1.5 miles long and combines parts of the oval with a winding infield track.

What's at The Rock?

The speedway is located in Rockingham, North Carolina, near U.S. Highway 1. In its most popular years, the track could hold over 60,000 fans. Today, it has about 32,000 seats.

Besides the main oval, there is a smaller track called "Little Rock." It was built in 2008 and is a half-mile replica of another famous track, Martinsville Speedway.

The Story of The Rock

Building a Legendary Track

In 1964, construction started on a new racetrack in North Carolina. The project was led by Harold Brasington, who also founded Darlington Raceway. The original plan was for a one-mile oval, a smaller dirt track, and a drag strip.

The track, first called North Carolina Motor Speedway (NCMS), was built for about $1 million. It opened in 1965 with a 500-mile NASCAR race. The track had seats for about 26,000 fans. The project was paid for by a group of 11 investors led by a lawyer named Elsie Webb.

Early Racing Years

NASCAR driver David Pearson (pictured in 2008) set the first official world record at the facility, setting the record for the fastest mile on a closed oval.

Before the first race, driver David Pearson set a world record at the track for the fastest speed on a one-mile closed oval. The first official race, the American 500, was held on October 31, 1965, and was won by Curtis Turner. Drivers and reporters loved the new track.

In 1969, the track was changed to make the turns steeper. This made the racing even more exciting. After Elsie Webb passed away in 1972, NASCAR team owner L. G. DeWitt took over as president of the speedway. For many years, the track didn't change much, but it remained a favorite spot for racing.

Changes in the 1980s and 90s

In the 1980s, the track started to get some updates. New concrete walls were added for safety, and more grandstands were built, including the Winston Tower. In 1985, the track was repaved for the first time since 1969. By the late 1980s, the speedway could hold about 33,000 people.

But by the 1990s, NASCAR was growing and moving into bigger cities. There were worries that Rockingham, being in a small town, might lose its big races. Even with new buildings and more seats, attendance was lower than at other tracks.

A Battle for Ownership

Motorsports businessmen Bruton Smith and Roger Penske (above) both bought parts of the speedway in 1995. They later competed to gain full control of the track.

In 1995, two powerful businessmen, Bruton Smith and Roger Penske, both started buying parts of the speedway. This led to a "bidding war" as both men tried to gain full control of the track.

In 1997, after a lot of back-and-forth, Roger Penske became the majority owner. He renamed the track "North Carolina Speedway" and made big improvements. He replaced old grandstands with a huge new one, increasing the number of seats to over 60,000.

NASCAR Leaves The Rock

Despite the upgrades, the track struggled with attendance. In 2003, NASCAR announced it was moving one of Rockingham's two big annual races to California.

Then, a lawsuit involving a shareholder and NASCAR led to another big change. In 2004, the track's last remaining top-level race was moved to Texas Motor Speedway. Speedway Motorsports bought the track, and for the first time in nearly 40 years, there were no major NASCAR races scheduled at The Rock.

A Brief Comeback

Joey Logano (pictured in 2008) won the first race at Rockingham Speedway after a four-year hiatus of racing in 2008.

In 2007, former NASCAR driver Andy Hillenburg bought the speedway at an auction for $4.4 million. He renamed it Rockingham Speedway and brought racing back. In 2008, an ARCA series race was held, which was won by a young Joey Logano.

Hillenburg also built the "Little Rock" half-mile track. In 2012, the NASCAR Truck Series returned to Rockingham, which was a huge moment for fans. However, the return was short-lived. After the 2013 season, NASCAR left again because the track had financial problems.

The Track Sits Empty

For several years, the speedway was mostly abandoned. The track was put up for auction in 2015. A few groups tried to buy it and bring it back to life, but nothing worked out. The once-famous track sat silent, waiting for someone to rescue it.

The Return of The Rock

In August 2018, a group of investors led by Dan Lovenheim bought the speedway for $2.8 million. They had big plans to turn it into a place for both racing and music festivals.

With help from the state of North Carolina, the new owners began a massive renovation. The track surface was repaved in 2022 for the first time in decades. The grandstands and safety fences were also updated. In 2025, their hard work paid off when NASCAR announced that the Xfinity Series and Truck Series would return to Rockingham.

Events at the Speedway

Racing

Rockingham Speedway is once again a host for major NASCAR events. It holds an annual race weekend for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In the past, it was famous for two NASCAR Cup Series races, the Subway 400 and the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400.

The track has also hosted other series, like the USAR Pro Cup and Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA).

Other Fun Events

Besides racing, Rockingham has been a popular spot for music festivals. In 1972, a rock festival called the Peach Tree Celebration drew about 70,000 people. More recently, it has hosted festivals like Carolina Rebellion and Epicenter.

The speedway has also been used as a location for filming movies and TV shows. Some famous movies filmed here include Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Days of Thunder.

Race Lap Records

As of April 2025, these are the fastest official race laps at Rockingham Speedway on the current track layout.

See also

In Spanish: North Carolina Speedway para niños